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More bad news for transit funding

In his first State of the City speech back in February, Seattle’s transit-friendly Mayor Mike McGinn proclaimed the era of the big highway was over.

He may have spoken too soon.

That’s because the Republicans who now hold power in the U.S. House of Representatives reportedly want to bring federal transportation spending “back to its roots in the 1950s — interstate commerce and travel, with a strong focus on the National Highway System,” according this recent post from Streetsblog Capitol Hill.

Streetsblog reports that incoming Transportation Committee Chair John Mica, R-Fla., wants spending cuts to stabilize the Highway Trust Fund, which spends more money than it takes in because gas tax revenues are down. Congress keeps temporarily propping it up because lawmakers are unable to agree on a new source of revenue, such as a gas tax increase (the gas tax hasn’t been increased since 1993, and it doesn’t buy what it used to, especially with more fuel-efficient vehicles and a down economy).

According to the blog, it appears most likely that Mica will target federal spending on transit. The blog says the info comes from sources who were at a luncheon with highway executives and Jim Tymon, a Republican staff director of the House highways and transit subcommittee. Here’s what the blog reports:

Tymon suggested to the Road Gang that the current $8 billion allocated for transit annually could shrink to $5 billion. The Road Gang was, apparently, relieved to see that transit would bear the brunt of the burden of spending cuts.

Meanwhile, Tymon said the Republicans want to bring transportation spending back to its roots in the 1950s – interstate commerce and travel, with a strong focus on the National Highway System. It all adds up to a possible revision of the longstanding 80/20 ratio governing highway and transit spending, with transit losing ground. Tymon confirmed that a new calculus could be coming.

As if transit agencies weren’t already in bad shape. Sound Transit projects a $3.9 billion shortfall through 2023. King County Metro Transit, which is heavily dependent on volatile sales tax revenue, faces having to cut another 600,000 in bus service hours by 2015. Struggling transit agencies plan to ask the state Legislature for some help, such as new mechanism to raise money for transit.

Unfortunately, the state’s budget woes already threaten to eliminate what little help the state currently offers to transit agencies. WSDOT is proposing to cut $20 million from a $40 million Regional Mobility grant program that’s helped fund numerous transit projects. The grant is doled out to cities, counties and transit agencies to help reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. The program has helped pay for 12 park-and-ride lots that were built or expanded; 4,760 new park-and-ride parking stalls; the expansion and and construction of five transit centers, five high-occupancy vehicle and transit lanes projects; as well as 14 projects to expand bus service, according to a copy of WSDOT’s proposed budget cuts.

“WSDOT expects a significant pushback from stakeholders when they learn of the proposed reduction in program funding. With these reductions, this program will not be able to help mitigate traffic congestion or provide funds to construct public transportation infrastructure,” the budget documents say.

King County Metro has requested $6 million from the program in 2011-13 for its Rapid Ride D Line from Ballard to uptown and downtown Seattle along 15th Avenue Northwest. The Seattle Department of Transportation also has requested money, including $1.2 million for the King Street Station rehabilitation project.

Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate..